Abstract: ObjectiveTo study the MR images findings of acute spinal cord stab wound injury. MethodsThe clinical material and MRI findings of 12 patients with acute spinal cord stab wound injury within 7 days were reviewed retrospectively with 1.0 T magnet. Results4 of 12 patients had the Brown-Sequards's Syndrome, the locations of wound injury are mainly within T_6-8 level. MRI findings of pathway of the stab wound were seen in all cases. Many other signals including artefact of knife track, spinal cord injury, edema, hemorrhage, and hematoma of subdural and epidural were also seen in some cases. The location relationship of the hematoma to dura in distinguishing a subdural hematoma from an epidural hematoma by MR images is important, injury of the ligamentum flavum and anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments and spinal dura can be diagnosed by either absence or interruption of the normal linear low-signal-intensity band.Conclusions MR images allows vasualization of intramedullary injury, extramedullary injury and injury to spinal ligaments and dura. T 2 -weighted images can be helpful in visualization of the knife track extending from the skin surface to the spinal canal.

Key words: spinal cord, spinal cord injury, trauma, stab wound, MR images